Dehorning, trimming, and docking

Sometimes procedures are performed to enhance animal welfare and worker safety. Here are three examples and what they mean:

Dehorning is the removal of horns from beef and dairy calves, in breeds which grow horns. This procedure is undertaken for the safety of both the animals and the people working with them. Calves suffer less pain and stress if dehorning is performed when the horns haven’t yet developed.
Beak trimming is done to prevent laying hens from hurting each other while they establish dominance in the flock (also referred to as “pecking order”). The proper procedure is to remove the tip of the beak when the birds are very young. This is done with a laser when the chick is first hatched and takes only seconds. Research continues into behaviour, nutrition, and genetics, to look for ways to eliminate the need for this procedure.
Tail docking involves shortening a sheep’s tail to a length specified in the national Sheep Code of Practice. This is done to keep manure from collecting on their tails and hindquarters, helping to prevent a condition called “flystrike”, in which flies lay eggs in manure-soiled wool, and the larvae then begin to eat the surrounding flesh. Tail docking can decrease the incidence of flystrike and reduce manure buildup on an animal, which also improves food safety, as there’s less chance of contact between meat and bacteria during processing.